Punchboard protector



Oct 13, 1942.

J. F. KEITHMAN PUNCH BOARD PROTECTOR Filed May 19, 1941 Patented Oct. 13, 1942 2,298,486 PUNCHBOARD Prior-Eamon,

John F. Keithman, Hebron, 1nd,, assignor of onehalf to John I. Smith, Wheeler, Ind.

Application May 19, 1941, Serial No. 394,077

2 Claims.

My invention relates to protecting means for punch boards of the well known type having banks of openings from which chance or premium slips are to be punched.

Where these punch boards are not protected by means for checking the number of punches taken by players of the board, the owner of the board may suffer considerable loss. For example, a player of the board may punch a considerable number of slips from the board without winning and then, if the owner of the board is not looking, or is absent, the player may hide or destroy a number of the slips punched out and pay for only a few.

The important object of my invention is to provide protection in the form of checking or registering means which will accurately check and indicate the number of punches taken by each player, so that the player will have to pay for all of the punches taken.

A further object of the invention is to obtain protection by the application of a sheet of transparent paper over the punchboard holes through which paper the player must punch for punching of the chance slips from the punch holes, the perforated transparent sheet being then a record of the number of punches taken which must be paid for by the player.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means for rigidly holding a transparent sheet on the board to overlie the punch holes and operable to release the punched sheet so that it may serve as a record of the number of punches taken by the player.

The above referred to and other features of the invention are incorporated in a structure such as disclosed on the drawing, in which draw- Figure 1 is a plan View of a board with my improved protecting means applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a section on plane II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front end view of the board;

Figure 4 is a section on plane IVIV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section on plane VV of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a section like Figure 2, but showing a modified arrangement.

The board B is of well known construction, having at its lower portion the punch holes II) for containing the chance or premium slips. The protection affording structure comprises a cylindrical container I l for a roll of transparent paper 12, the casing H being, by a bracket l3, secured to the board as by bolts l4. The paper roll may have a tubular supporting core l5 for receiving at its ends the lugs I6 extending from the casing ends. The casing has the outlet I! through which the vpaper may be drawn from the roll for extension across the punch holes I0.

Means are provided for clamping and rigidly holding a length of the paper in place over the punch holes. As :shown on Figures 1 to 5, a rectangular frame F is provided, having side portions 18 for extending along the top of the board adpacent to the sides of the punch hole field, and front and :rear portions I9 and 2B, respectively, :for extending along the front and rear sides -of the punch hole field. The rear end 2! of the side portions I8 of the frame are deflected inwardly for engagement in loops or eyes 22 to form a hinge connection so that the frame may be swung down against the board or away therefrom. As shown on Figure 5, the eyes or loops 22 .may be at the upper ends of screws or bolts .23 extending through the board.

Suitable locking means are provided for locking the frame down against the board for holding a length of the transparent paper over the punch .holes. The lock structure comprises a locking bolt 24 in the form of a vertical shiftable rod terminating at its upper end in a hook 25 .for engagement with the front portion I9 of the frame F. The .bolt 24 extends through and is guided by the .upper and lower walls of the housing 26 secured against the underside of the board, and the bolt has an abutment collar 21 thereon. Within the housing is a slidable latch member 28, slidable in guideways 29, a spring 30 extending between the housing and the latch member tending to shift the latch member toward the bolt. At its inner end the latch member has the fork 3| for receiving the bolt over the collar 21 thereon when the bolt is shifted down to its frame locking position, and the bolt will be held in this locking position. A suitable key is insertable into the lock housing 26 for engagement with the tail end 32 of the latch member 28 for outward shift of the latch member for release of its fork end 3| from the bolt so that the bolt may be raised to release the frame F from the transparent paper, so that after the board has been punched by a player the transparent paper may be drawn outwardly and torn off, the torn off part then being a record of the number of punches which have been taken by the player.

In order to more securely hold the paper intimately over the punch holes and against wilful displacement by a player, rubber bands 33 may be secured to the board B at their ends, to extend along the sides of the board below the frame side portions [8. The paper strip from the roll will pass below these rubber bands, as shown on Figures 1 and 2, and when the frame F is locked down, its side portions IE will engage with and exert downward pressure against the rubber bands, so that the paper sheet will be clamped between the rubber bands and the top of the board, the rubber providing ample friction so that the length of paper within the frame can not readily be displaced or disturbed, and the player, in order to play the board, must punch through the paper. After the board-has been played by a player, the board owner will unlock the frame by releasing the bolt 24 so that the frame may swing up to relieve its pressure from the rubber bands so that the paper may be pulled out and torn off to then serve as a record of the number of punches taken. V

As shown on Figure '1, the rubber bands 33 extend up to the hinge ends of the frame and when the bolt 24 is unlocked the rubber, which has been compressed by the rear ends of the frame by the locking of the frame, will recoil and swing the frame partially open against the hook 25 on the bolt 24, this partial opening of the frame relieving its pressure on the rubber bands so that the paper may be readily pulled out for tearing off after a punching operation. After pulling out of the paper the frame F may be pressed down so that the adjacent side portion I8 may serve as a cutting edge for facilitating tearing off of the portion of paper punched. If it is desired to swing the frame F entirely open, the bolt 24, after unlocking thereof, may be turned to withdraw the hook 25 from the frame portion I9. When the frame is to be closed it is swung down against the board and the bolt turned to swing the hook 25 over the frame end and then when the bolt is pressed downwardly to force the frame against the rubber bands, the fork end of the latch member 28 will engage the bolt above the collar 21 thereon and the bolt will be held in its locking position until released by key operation. I

Figure 6 shows a modified form of clamping frame in which the side portions 34 have depending flanges 35 for engaging along the sides of the board. With this arrangement the transparent paper I2 will be deflected around the corners of the board and will be frictionally held against displacement while the frame is in locking position. If more friction is desired, rubber bands 36 may be mounted on the board to span the paper and to be engaged by the side portion 34 of the frame, or the side portion 34 may have a rubber lining for increasing the frictional resistance against slippage.

I have shown a practical and efiicient embodiment of the features of my invention, but I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described, since changes and modifications may be made which will still come within the scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. Protecting means for a punch board comprising a clamping frame composed of side portions for extending along the top of the board adjacent to the longitudinal sides of the punch hole field and front and rear portions respectively for extending along the top of the board adjacent to the front and rear sides of the punch hole field, means for detachably securing said frame in position on said board to clamp a sheet of transparent perforatable material against the top of the board over and stretched across the punch holes, whereby the punch holes will be visible through said sheet and said sheet will have to be perforated by a punching tool before punching of the board and will then, when released from said frame, form a record of the punches taken from the board.

2. Protecting means for a punch board comprising a clamping frame having side portions for extending along the top of the board adjacent to the longitudinal sides of the punch hole field and front and rear portions respectively for extending along the top of the board adjacent to the front and rear sides of the punch hole field, rearward extensions on said frame side portions and means affording hinge connection thereof with said board whereby said frame may be swung down against the board or upwardly away therefrom, and means for detachably locking said frame in swung-down position to clamp a sheet of transparent perforated material against the top of the board over and stretched across the punch holes, whereby the punch holes will be visible through said sheet and said sheet will have to be perforated by a punching tool before punching of the board and will then form a record of the punches taken from the board.

JOHN F. KEITHMAN. 

